I happened on an article in Salon.com yesterday talking about [Sacred Games](http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0061130354/mattorama), the new book by [Vikram Chandra](http://www.vikramchandra.com). You're already excited, I know. He's the author of one of my top 10 favorite books of all time, [Red Earth and Pouring Rain](http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0316132934/mattorama). I used to go to the library and pick out a random book from the New Releases shelf to read. Red Earth's cover, of a monkey with his arm resting on a typewriter, caught my eye and I absolutely fell in love with the book. After reading it for free I bought a copy, lost it somehow, and bought another one because I couldn't bear not to have it available to read. That was in 1995\. He released a book of short stories in '97 which I never got around to reading for some reason, then nothing until now. I just placed my order for [Sacred Games](http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0061130354/mattorama) with Amazon and I'm sure the temptation to dig into it as soon as it arrives will be strong. I've got 2 books from the library however ([Kiffe Kiffe Tomorrow](http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0156030489/mattorama) and [The Wizard of the Crow](http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/037542248X/mattorama)) so I'll have to wait. I just hope Chandra's next one doesn't take so long, I'm already waiting for it. [tags]books,vikram+chandra,india,bombay,fiction,sacred+games[/tags]